Recycling in Lubbock

Years ago, Lubbock had a very progressive recycling program, called the "Blue Bag" program.  You could buy blue plastic bags, and the local stores used blue plastic  bags for merchandise.  On certain days, you could hang or place your blue bags on or near the dumpster.  You could mix certain items:  plastic, tin, aluminum and glass.  But computer paper needed to be separate, as did newspapers.  This was a very progressive program, but very few people in Lubbock used it, and finally, the city had to abandon the program.  So, they developed recycling centers where we can bring things to be recycled: computer paper, newspaper, tin cans, aluminum cans, type 1 and 2 plastic.   Other centers also take cardboard and various large items like furniture and appliances, and motor oil. So this means collecting things, and making deliveries.  Lubbock City Recycling

I recycle at the center at 30th and Elgin, not far from my house.  A few years ago, the city's glass crushing machine broke and was "too expensive" to replace, so the city stopped taking glass.

Texas Tech also has a recycling center Recycling, Go Green Texas Tech, which also takes glass, cardboard and packing foam. It is just down the street from the city recycle center I use.  So glass and cardboard go to Texas Tech.

There are also various commercial recycling businesses in Lubbock:  Effortless Recycling will do curbside residential pick up for example.  Recycling 123  also does curbside pick up. Commercial Metals Company  offers more commercial metals recycling. Jarvis Metals 
does metal recycling, and is commercial but also available for individuals, and accepts appliances, aluminum cans and all kinds of fixtures that are metal.

There are also multiple battery recycling centers in Lubbock. Mostly they recycle car batteries and rechargeable batteries.  Dry cells are not recycled in Lubbock. There are companies that do commercial shredding.  And many commercial outlets recycle things like printer cartridges, and compact fluorescent light bulbs.  

But all of this recycling requires the consumer to be very involved in the recycling, and not just filling a container and placing it curbside.  At least, if someone is Lubbock is concerned about recycling, there are opportunities. That's the good news.